The present invention relates to a handle folding device for a fishing reel, and more particularly, to a device capable of folding a handle provided in a fishing reel with an improved manner.
In a conventional fishing reel, a handle arm is arranged to be capable of being folded relative to a handle shaft for the portable property and the accommodation in a case. Japanese Utility Model Examined Publication No. Sho. 59-42871 discloses a handle arm capable of being folded relative to a handle shaft in an imaginary plane defined by the handle shaft and the handle arm before folded. Also, Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. Sho. 62-10620 and Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Sho. 60-12972 disclose a handle arm capable of being folded perpendicularly to the imaginary plane by operating a handle stopper.
The folding manner according to the above-noted publications, however, suffers from a problem in that the folded handle arm is likely to be moved from its folded position. Especially, even if the handle arm is folded after the handle arm is rotated to a desired position for the purpose of making the fishing reel compact as a whole, the handle arm is likely to be moved from its folded position as noted above and further be returned to its original position when a person carries the fishing reel and/or touches the folded handle arm. This is inconvenient in carrying the fishing reel, and this makes it troublesome to accommodate the fishing reel within a case in a manufacturing line.